A scarcity of vehicle number plates has hit the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sparking criticism of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) production plant in Gwagwalada.
The shortage, which has affected motorists seeking to register newly purchased vehicles, was a key topic during the Traffic Aspects Roundtable’s end-of-year evaluation on transport necessities.
Israel Olohuntoyin, the roundtable’s publicity secretary, decried the insufficient production capacity of the FRSC plant. “It seems the production plant is too small to meet the growing demand for FCT number plates, which are highly preferred by motorists,” he said.
The scarcity has been particularly pronounced for commercial number plates, further compounding the challenges faced by businesses reliant on these registrations.
The issuance of vehicle number plates is a joint responsibility of the FRSC and the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS). However, the current shortage has left many motorists stranded, raising questions about the efficiency of the process.
The roundtable called on state governors and the FCT Minister to address the issue by establishing additional number plate production plants. Olohuntoyin cited the Lagos State Government as a model, noting its self-sufficient production system, which no longer depends on the FRSC for vehicle number plates.
“This is not only a solution to the scarcity but also an avenue for increased revenue generation,” he added, urging the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to adopt the initiative.
The scarcity of number plates continues to be a pressing issue for motorists, underscoring the need for swift intervention to ease registration processes and improve traffic management in the FCT.
